A misunderstanding
by ChuckDays
Summary: Aang and Zuko are captured in Ba Sing Sei, Will they continue fighting each other or will they see past their differences and work together to escape their fate? Or maybe, things will get a bit more intimate then even that...AangZuko
1. Chapter 1 Trapped

**HOMG! I'm finally working on this! Le Gasp:O**

**Anyways, I've been getting LOADS of reviews from my one-shot Aang/Zuko fic, in fact, I'm still gettin' 'em even though it's been out since, Gods, forever! I'm very thankful to all you peeps who reviewed it. I'm sooooooo happy:D**

**Many of you have also requested I do a full-blown multi-chapter fic for this pairing. I'm so happy that you guys enjoyed the one-shot so much you want more! Really, it brings a tear to mah eye. –Sniff-**

**So I've decided I'm finally gunna get onto doing this thing! I'll try my hardest to update and get up this chapter and chapters to come in a reasonable amount of time. (I'm trying not to like, do 1 chapter a YEAR on my fics anymore. I know, I gots writer's ADD!)**

**Anyways, hope you all like this 1st installment of Aangy Zuko:D And again, I thank all you peeps that took the time to review my one-shot, you all rock my socks! XD**

**P.S. This fic takes place around the Bah Sing Sei time and the gang is looking for Appa still. Currently, Zuko just got back from his date with that one girl and shut himself all up in his room. :3**

_-Ch. 1 Trapped-_

Zuko was not at in, in the least bit, or even in the biggest bit, happy. He just blew probably the only chance he had with a girl who didn't hate his guts by just running out in panic, his uncle was becoming more annoying by the day, he was getting more and more paranoid that the earth benders would discover their secret,

And he had yet to capture the Avatar.

He growled and kicked a random pillow lying on the floor of his room in the mangy old apartment in this mangy old neighborhood. It was the only thing they could afford at the moment, plus Uncle said it'd be best to hide here. Zuko hated it; he hated this place with all his soul. He hated having to go around pouring tea for people just so they could stay alive, he hated hiding from his own people, and he HATED not being able to go search for the Avatar. He wasn't the type of guy to just sit around and do NOTHING. It pissed him off!

He yelled angrily and kicked the small table in his room, knocking it over to its side, a crack formed halfway down the side of it, close to a splitting point. He let out a breath, smoke coming out from his nose. In the other room he could hear Uncle shuffle around in the kitchen, probably making tea. Not a word was cast in Zuko's direction, General Iroh had become quite use to his nephew's random outbursts of rage. It was best just to leave him be till he cooled down, he'd come to talk when he was ready.

Zuko huffed and sat down onto the ragged mat that was his bed. He leaned back and rested against the wall and stared out across the room, knees drawn up, arms resting limp at his sides, eyes still full of rage but slowly mugging over with fatigue. He sat there and stared over to the small candle in the lantern above his room, some of the paper panels long eaten away by moths, the way almost down to the bottom, dripping off the wooden bars that tried to not let it topple over and erupt into a fire that could consume the room.

Although the anger towards his material possessions was wearing off, the fire in his own heart was still consuming him with anger. He could stand this, just sitting here in a cramped worn out room with nothing to do. He SHOULD be out there doing SOMETHING. How could he have had such a wonderful night till this point? Everything had been right until…he'd come back to reality.

Zuko slowly got to his feet. He felt trapped in this room, he needed to get out, get some air, d something with himself. He couldn't sleep, wasn't hungry at all, just oozing with anxiety. He walked over to the window, where the other night he had used his blanket as a curtain to keep the draft out. He moved the ragged cloth out of the way and slowly, silently, crept out onto the small roof below it.

Tonight, he'd go searching. He needed to know…

"Where are you, Avatar?"

Aang was tired, very tired. But he needed to keep moving, keep searching. He hadn't gotten a once of good sleep since Appa went missing. Every time he'd shut his eyes, images of Appa in danger or pain or worse would flash into his vision, forcing him to open his eyes. Appa was a part of him, he couldn't bear to know something horrible happened to him.

Katara had warned him, he might get hurt if he went out there with his lack of sleep. He simply ignored her, she didn't understand. Nobody could understand. They didn't have the type of relationship Aang had with Appa.

But he WAS getting tired, and it was difficult to stay up flying on his glider at this rate. But he knew he'd cover more ground then he would on foot this way. He was more concerned for his bison if anything.

Aang looked down toward the ground, he saw the shadow of someone wiz past, why would anybody be out this late? He wondered. Then again, he was out here flying around. Aang decided not to think about it.

'_They got their reasons, and I have mine.'_

He didn't notice though, that the person he was had stopped in their tracks seeing him fly over them, and had started running after him. He didn't even notice when his eyes had started to droop until he felt the gilder wobble, and he was falling. His eyes immediately snapped open when he felt a long string hit his back and break from his fall. He'd hit a clothes line and they were now falling with him, though not as fast.

He quickly spun around and used his staff to create an air current, that slowed him into a light descend. He landed on his feet shakily. No matter how many times he'd done if, Aang could never get use to the feel of falling. He rubbed his eyes and looked about, trying to get a sense of where he was. Everything was dark, no light shown since most folk had earlier gone off to bed. Aang then noticed that around his eyes everything was getting hazily. He rubbed them again and groaned. Maybe Katara was right, he needed to get more sleep. But he was afraid to go flying again now, what if he didn't wake up in time and end up only hurting himself. Then Katara would be really worried with him.

Aang sighed again and decided to try and find a place to stay for the night, there had to be someplace he could sleep for awhile, then he'd head straight home.

But then a weird feeling came over him, like goose bumps running up and down his spine and his stomach started feeling queasy. He knew this feeling and knew…

Someone was watching him.

He turned his head looking this way and that, trying to compose himself and look like he could put up a decent fight. "Alright, I hear you out there! Show yourselves!" He kept his voice firm though on the inside he knew he was defiantly not up for a fight.

No response came, at lest, for a few seconds. Then a shadowy figure emerged from behind a wooden barrel and started making their way toward him. Aang held up his staff, ready to strike.

"So I've finally found you, in the slums of all places." Aang knew that voice. He knew it well, he had it memorized from the 1s day he'd met the owner behind that voice…

"What do you want Zuko? I'm not interested in fighting you, I've got more important things to worry about!" Aang held his ground, knowing that Zuko would pull some trick, he just hoped he could get away before that happened.

"I know what your looking for Avatar, your bison has gone missing am I right?" Aang lowered his staff a bit, how could Zuko know a thing like that? Unless…

"You…" Aang growled, holding the staff up again and baring his teeth at the fire bender. "You have Appa don't you? Where is he? WHERE ARE YOU HIDING APPA?!" Aang's mood had gone from tired to rage in barely a second, Zuko did some pretty bad things, but taking Appa? He was about ready to beat the shit outta Zuko for that.

"Relax!" Zuko raised his fists, in case Aang decided to fight him. "I don't have your bison, I haven't a clue to his whereabouts." He noticed Aang again, lower his staff. "Then why are you here? I told you, I'm not interested in a fight, and I know the Fire Nation is after you too." Zuko was surprised, how could?...

Oh right, he remembered now, Uncle and his faces were posted all over the place. It wouldn't be hard to figure out that the Fire Nation wanted him dead just as much as they did the Avatar. But he didn't care about that, he wouldn't show to Aang that it upset him.

"I don't care what you think, once I capture you the Fire Nation will welcome me back with open arms! Just you wait!" Not caring if anyone saw or not, Zuko threw a fiery punch toward the Air Bender. Aang quickly jumped onto a nearby roof, wobbling for a bit before planting himself at ready to fight. Zuko sent one after the other of punches and kicks toward Aang, who every time blocked or dodged them. It was like an endless battle of tag, while Zuko would try to get a hold of Aang, He would jump away at the last second to a place farther off. This went on until Aang lost his footing on a broken roof single and slipped off it, falling to the ground.

Zuko got down from the roof and stood over Aang, who laid motionless face-down on the dirt. He reached down to grab him by the collar, when suddenly…

A feeling that someone besides themselves were around and watching.

Zuko quickly looked around every which way, fists ready to attack if someone were to come. He looked down the second he felt movement beneath them.

The ground was shaking.

And then it fell down.

And they were pulled down in a big dark box with no way out.

And once it was gone, not a mark remained of their capture.

Zuko and Aang, were trapped.

_-End of 1-_

**OMG AIEEEEEEEEE! I was so freaking out while I was writing this. One, I suck at fight scenes, really I do. So I'm sorry if it's not dramatic enough, but I think that last part makes up for it, ne:3**

**Homahgee I was freaking out over that last part and was like "OMG CAPTURED LIKE APPA WAS IN BOXY THING THEY'S GONEWHERE'DTHEYGOEEEEEEEEEEEE?! Because I'm silly like that, and get into my own drama. XDDDD**

**Anyways, hope you peeps liked this 1st chapter, reviews would be much apprenticed! (They keep me motivated to write more ;P) And please, I LOVE getting reviews that help my writing style. If you didn't like the way stuff was written, feel free to tell me! Or if there was something wrong like I got my facts all messed up, TELL ME! It helps so much when I get reviews that suggest to me to word things differently or give me better facts. (I can't commit everything to memory, so it helps when people tell me I got something wrong! w) But please, I beg for no FLAMES! I mean, writing and info flames are just perfect for me, but I just can't stand flames that are all "OMG U SUX THIS GAY AANG/KATARA ISH BETTAH RAWR! DDDDDDD: !" Luckily, I haven't yet gotten a flame like that, so I'm very happy. I hope it continues on this path. So uuuh, that's all for now. Till next time!**

**_Bunny out!_**


	2. Chapter 2 Sick

**HOMAHGOSH! I'm sorry that this and the 1st chappy are late in being put up O.o. At first I had the 1st chap. All ready to go like, a month or 2 ago, then when I asked my friend to beta it for me she forgot to and told me to just go ahead and post it. Well I haven't had a lotta time to post it what with school and homework and shit like that to do, but now I'm writing this, at like, 1 in the morning so…BE THANKFUL!**

**Sorry if this chap sucks D: The 1st one was good to me, but since I made the 1st one, no real flow of inspiration has hit me since. My writing and drawing is all thanks to my muse, who, like a stray cat, comes and goes whenever she wants, and every time she does come, tells me these amazing stories which I later type or helps guide my hand in a drawing. And then before I know it she's taken off again, not to be heard from for a long while, leaving me to wonder if she'll ever come back. But I digress…**

**Hope you like this chap my lovelies:D Please review it afterwards!**

_-Ch. 2 Sick-_

A dream, a dream of nothingness was what Zuko was seeing now. Everything was black, he didn't know if he was asleep and aware, or awake and his body was just refusing to work. Either way when he felt something cold drop and slide down into his ear, he flinched and groaned, limbs moving as though that one drop had awaken it from a paralytic sleep.

He used his fists to pull himself up, the ground under him was freezing, and he rubbed his eyes and opened them, only to find that the darkness under his lids matched the darkness in this place. He sat himself up on his knees, trying to focus his eyes to the lack of light. He looked about as best he could, and tapped on the nearest wall, it responded with a hollow clunking noise that echo through the cramped space.

So this room was made of metal it seemed, strong too considering the lack of rusty smell in the air.

He put his hang down on the floor, feeling that it too was metal; he sighed and pulled his knees into his chest, hugging them and burying his head into them. He didn't like this at all, this place, it was too quite. Why was he here? Then again, how had he gotten here?

He moved his sight to the wall ahead of him, letting his eyes adjust to the lack of light, starting to see the corners of the flat surface and things around it, objects on the floor that he wasn't particularity keen to find out were.

What time was it? What day was it? How long had he been here? Did uncle notice he had gone? Had he even gone to look for him? Millions more questions whizzed through Zuko's head, one crashing into another in an endless pattern of waves of curiosity and, to his anger, fear. Fear he had no control over the situation.

He was defenseless…

Suddenly, a noise, like a large door opening was heard, Zuko turned to see faint light pour though bars of a tiny window of the cell's door. He scrambled up, legs shaking slightly from lack of use, and walked over to the door. He grabbed the bars on the small window and stood on tiptoe, trying to see out. His glaze turned to somebody, a man in armor and a hat, walking down the hallway, hands behind his back and eyes toward the ground.

Zuko growled, and before he could stop himself, his temper let out when he yelled to the man, "YOU! TELL ME, WHERE AM I? WHO ARE YOU? WHY AM I HERE?" He bared his teeth and clenched the bars of the cell angrily.

The man looked up, calm and cool toward Zuko. He then stated in a cold voice, "I don't need to answer to a pathetic brat like you, besides, your questions will be answered soon enough…" and with that, the man continued walking, past Zuko's door and on to a large door near the end of the hallway.

"WAIT, COME BACK HERE, DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME! YOU COWARD! BASTARD! DOG!" Zuko screamed and yelled and swore at the guard until his voice was becoming hoarse, but the man continued to ignore him, and walked through the door, slamming it behind him.

The faint light that had come through the hallway faded away till Zuko was left in nothing but darkness again. He breathed heavily, still full of pent up anger. He growled, and then turned from his door, yelling and throwing a punch into the air in front of him, a burst of fire coming from it then fading back into nothing. He hissed through his teeth and then flopped back down onto the ground, sitting with legs and arms crossed. He leaned onto the wall behind him, and let him mind wander to other things. It was better not to think about what just happen. He needed to relax; it wasn't going to help being angry now. He needed to clear his head, think straight, figure out a way out of here…

God damnit he wanted to blow something up…

He shut his eyes, breathing in and out through his nose, although the smell was horrible around here. Just needed to relax, take his mind off this for now, easy Zuko…

"Nnnghhh…."

Zuko's eyes snapped open. How? How could he not have noticed it? Somebody else was in here, with him…

That's when it all came back to him…

"Of course…" he smirked; the Avatar was stuck in here with him.

He stood and blinked, trying to get some clue as to where the Avatar was, he walked carefully across the small room until his foot touched something. He took a step back, and then crouched down. He could make out the outline of his enemy, lying in the corner, knees pulled up, and slightly shivering. Zuko smiled, he'd found his anger release.

He stood, and pulled his leg back, then kicked the Air Bender right in his back. A gruffled noise came from the boy, along with a series of coughs. Zuko saw him turn around, get up on his hands, and rub his eyes, hearing that small voice mumble something. Zuko again crouched down close to the boy, and snapped his fingers, summoning up a small flame to provided light. Aang looked up sleepily, then his eyes widened, seeing the face that had previously haunted him in his dreams.

"Hello, Avatar…"

Aang yelped and fell back on his butt, pressed against the wall, heart racing. He thought his chest was about to explode! Once the initial shock cooled down, he started to realize other pains in his body. Aang's head was pounding, his ears rung, his throat burned, and his stomach felt all twisted up inside. He doubled over, clutching his belly as it did flips, causing the rest of his body to twitch in pain. He looked up again at that face, the light Zuko had made created the illusion of shadows dancing across the side of his face. He had on a sinister smirk, as the fire in his hand danced, as though anxious to get out of it's master's grip, to burn whatever came near it.

Aang's heart rate was starting to slow down; he glared at the older boy in front of him as hard as he could mange, and cold sweat was already sliding its way down the side of his face and onto his neck, getting the collar of his torn shirt wet. He blinked though, realizing Zuko wasn't the only problem. He looked about his surroundings; he was in a small dark iron room, the only light coming from the flame that licked the air in Zuko's hand. The teen's face itself, had a few scratches here and there, and like Aang, his clothes were dirty and torn too. He locked eyes with the Fire Bender again.

"Zuko, why are you here? More importantly, where are we and why?" Zuko closed his eyes and shook his head, a small smirk playing across his face.

"Honestly, I wish I knew the answer to that myself Avatar." Zuko looked back at the younger boy, whose face fell at his answer. "And what do you mean why am I here? Don't you remember? Our little fight in the ally?"

That's right, Aang remembered down. He was fighting Zuko, and he fell and hit his head and passed out. But…

"But that doesn't answer my question. Why ARE we here? What's your plan this time?" Aang crossed his arms in front of him, he was determined to get answers and he wanted them soon.

He was shocked when suddenly the flame in front of him flickered out and he was violently shoved back against the wall, hitting his head in the process. For a few seconds Aang saw little stars flicker in and out of his vision, it stopped when a strong hand tightened around his throat. He grabbed the hand with both his own, trying to pry it off, kicking his legs around in the process. The hand pushed him up harder against the wall. Another hand moved to the wall right beside his head, hitting it hard and sending sound waves through Aang's already throbbing head.

A harsh cold voice hissed right beside his ear, sending chills down his spine, _"I told you already, I don't fucking KNOW where we are, this isn't of MY doing, somebody has captured us and we're trapped here. So don't fucking blame this on ME!"_

The hand around Aang's throat loosened slightly, but Aang's eyes were still wide, filled with terror at Zuko's sudden outburst towards him. The hand kept loosening until it finally slipped away all together. The hand on the wall started joining it's other in its downward journey, lightly touching the young Avatar's cheek on its way, causing him to twitch at the touch of hot skin against his own cold skin.

Aang blinked, and could feel his heart throbbing along with the burning in his throat, he slide down the wall slightly, his limbs feeling like jelly. The cold of the wall met his thinly clothed back, and he shivered at the contact. Zuko was already sitting, leaned against the wall opposite him. They sat in awkward silence, the only sound coming to Aang in the thumping in his ears from his own heart. Until, he managed to squeak out, voice slightly hoarse from being squeezed so tight…

"So…What are we going to do?" Despite the lack of light Aang could slightly see the outline of Zuko, who had focused his glaze downward, he could still hear the smirk in the older teen's voice…

"Hn, what do you mean we? We're not going anywhere. By the looks of things, we're stuck here till whoever is keeping up here let's us go." Aang looked down at the dirty floor below, his head throbbed and throat and chest ached so much, his stomach still felt twisted and sweat now covered his poor body, making him feel overheated and freezing at the same time. But one thought did go through his head as his vision started to fade, and everything got hazy…

'_Maybe we've been captured…by the same people…that took Appa…'_

And the last thing he could remember before he passed out, was a strong hand grabbing him by the shoulder, and a voice fading off, telling him something, it kinda sounded…worried…

And then everything went black for a 2nd time.

**WOOT! CHAPTER 2'S DONE! Boy you have like. Noooooooooo idea how hard it was NOT to stick sum fluff in there. I mean it was like "Resist the urge Bunny, resist, resissssssst!" Luckily, I resisted. And what do you know? I was able to write a pretty descend chapter without my cat muse. (Punches air triumphly) WOOT!**

**Anyways, again, review please; reviews make me smile soooooo much. Love ya guys! Until the next installment! ;P**

_**Bunny out**_


	3. Chapter 3 Trouble

**_2/18/07_**  
**So I had an interesting dream last night (more like this morning, since I didn't go to bed till 5 AM, My new mangas got my all hyper and I couldn't sleep. :D). I was a water-bender living in this big port where all sorts of ships and stuff came in, it was huge and all industrialized and stuff. Then Zuko came and started setting things on fire, but I couldn't do anything since I hadn't mastered water-bending yet. Then this big water monster thingy came, and, instead of helping, started trashing the place. Well, Zuko got away and then Aang and Katara and this old lady who called herself my Great Aunt and was apparently a Water-bending master came along and, instead of helping fix up the Harbor or putting out the fires, they took me to this big waterfall and mystical spring to teach me water-bending. So I was there in this spring thingy practicing and trying really hard to make the water come up and stuff, and there was this big sunken treasure box thingy, so I was trying to open it with this little twisty I made with water. Then I woke up.  
I have really odd dreams sometimes. Like the flying dreams where I can't fly, and everybody else can. It's really pitiful…I wish I could actually DO things in my dreams…  
Yeah anyways, just felt like sharing that. Wow finally, Chapter 3 huh? I don't think this is gunna be a good chappy honestly; it's probably gunna turn out more as a filler sort of deal, but I dunno yet. Why? Well I haven't written it yet; I was busying telling you about my amazingly stupid dream. So well, let's get on with this thing shall we?  
Btw, I'd like to thank ya guys who reviewed the 1st 2 chapters, some of you actually reviewed both chapters, and it made me extremely happy ne:D So I'll keep up with the chapters, if ya keep on giving reviews, reviews are pretty much the only thing keeping my from just dropping this story all together, well that and getting to tell you guys about random goings in my life.  
So here we go!**

_-Ch. 3 Trouble-_

What to do, what to do, what to do?...

Zuko was again seated at one end of the room, staring off into its darkness and listening to the deafening ring going on in his ears.

It was hard to think, everything was too quiet. He really felt like expressing his horrid rage about now, but he was too tired and hungry too. The best he could do was sit in his corner and think think think. But what exactly was he suppose to be thinking about? How to escape? After everything he'd tried so far, it seemed damn near impossible to get out of here. What about what to do with the Avatar? Well he couldn't do much about that, after all…

He was dying.

Well, he couldn't say dying exactly. More like sick to the point where when the rare occasion would come where he DID wake up, he would cough and groan and sometimes cry, before passing out once again. And what was Zuko to do with him? Wake him up so he could beat the shit outta him again? If they were both captured, it didn't make sense to say HE'D captured the Avatar. But what would happen if his enemy died here in this room? If Zuko could eventually escape here, what would he do with himself? What would he do when the Avatar's friends came and accused him of killing him? It seemed that whatever happened to him…

Would have great affect on Zuko.

But even if he helped the Avatar, how could he? The boy was sick, he had no medicines or herbs or anything like that, and even if a guard came by, it wasn't like they would help.

Zuko shifted his weight and then stood up, his legs were numb, then started hurting with tiny needles of pain, his back felt sore, and his stomach wrenched and twisted from not having eaten in what he assumed a week or more. None the less, he walked over and crotched down to where he could make out the shape of the young Air-bender beneath him. He reached out slowly, touching his forehead, the moving down to his neck and then to his hands. He had a fever, a fairly high one, but the rest of his body was freezing. Zuko thought of what he may be able to do…when an idea stuck him. But was it worth the risk? What if it didn't help at all and just made a big mess?

Oh well, worth a shot.

Zuko stood and snapped his fingers, causing a small flame to come from them and sit in his hand; he used the small source of light to search around the room for anything, anything at all that could be flammable. His eyes finally caught sight of some small pieces and bits of grass and sticks lying scattered about the dirty floor. He then went about gathering them all into a pile with his foot until he had finally gotten majority of it all in the center of the room. Once satisfied he doubled check to make sure it was somewhat safe, and then lit the tiny pile on fire, the dried bits of earth and twig catching quickly and erupting before setting down to a dull roar of a flame. For Zuko, if was good enough.

This gave him the chance to look about the room in better detail. He hadn't realized till this point just how small the iron-chamber was. There was a layer of dust and dirt over everything, with all sorts of dirty hand prints, black smears, and scratches about the walls, as though the previous occupants of the room very much so didn't want to be in here, or didn't want to leave to something worse. Looking to the door, he saw a smaller one at the bottom of it, it looked like something the guards would use to shove things under for the prisoners, the top of the door he already knew had a small window with heavy bars over it, and he also noticed that there seemed to be no lock or key hole or anything on this side of the door that could show getting out of the room.

He walked over to the door and placed both hands on it, he knocked on it, pushed at it from top and bottom and sides, pulled at it from the bars, anything he could think of to indicate that the door COULD be opened. He found nothing; it was just as solid as the other walls around him. Sighing, he punched the door hard, pain shooting into his hand before sliding back down to the floor.

Well THAT did a lot of good…

Already the fire was dying down; he scooted over closer to the Avatar, who hadn't moved from lying on the floor in quite some time. Again, he touched the younger's forehead and neck, still had a temper, but the fire was starting to warm him up a bit.

Zuko thought to himself "Why? Why should I really care about what happens to him? Can't go back home anyways, Avatar or no Avatar. I don't care if his friends worry, why do I want to keep him alive?

…is it…is it because if he died…I'd be alone? Am I…scared…to be alone?"

Zuko stared down at that face, which he had been searching for years, found, and then started this whole game of cat and mouse with, chasing and escaping again and again. Even after the Fire Nation had officially banished him and Uncle, he continued to look for that face everywhere he went, and when he found it again, wound up here. He wondered to himself as he continued staring down at the small boyish face, pale and cold and dirty.

He wondered to himself, "Was it all worth it?"

His thoughts were interrupted once he heard that tiny groan come again from the Air-bender. He immediately took his hand away and scooted back, and sat against the wall, acting like he'd been sitting there the whole time. Aang moved slightly, before sitting up and putting a hand to his head, wincing at his ever present headache. Though he didn't feel as cold as he once did, the rest of him still feel stiff and sore for sleeping on the metal floor, and his stomach hurt horribly from not eating anything. He held his poor stomach and looked down, that's when he noticed…

He could see the floor…

He looked about the room, rubbing his eyes and trying to think back to the last time he was awake, which was pretty hazily since he would fall in and out of consciousness fairly quickly. His eyes fell onto the fire-bender sitting near him, like before, the shadows from the small fire he had created flicking on and off parts of his face, hiding away the scar over his eye in its darkness.

Aang felt the need to say something, he opened his mouth but no words came out, so he closed it up again. He tried to think of what it was he wanted to say, but he didn't know how to word it. His mouth and throat felt dry, he tried licking his lips and wetting his tongue. Still, nothing, just a small "Uuuh" and nothing more. The two sat there for a long time, neither one saying anything nor moving. Zuko had his eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest. Aang contemplated wither he might as well just try going back to sleep or not, when finally, the older teen said something that made Aang jump.

"So…how are you feeling?"

It wasn't that the statement itself startled Aang, well, if was an odd question coming from Zuko, but more of the awkward silence being broken after what felt a long time that made him jump. That's when the thought finally entered Aang's head.

"Wait was he…was he actually worried about me?"

Aang shook his head, no, that couldn't be it. Zuko only cared for himself and no one else. Why would he ever show concern for him? After all, last he checked, Zuko pretty much hated him.

"Well?..."

Oh right, he was supposed to be talking. He coughed a little, and tried to speak, the words coming out of his throat dry and shaky from lack of use. "I'm…ok…h-how long have I…be-been out?"

Zuko's response came monotone, showing no real emotion or concern like Aang had first thought, maybe he just felt like talking Aang decided. "Dunno, it's hard to keep track of time, but for awhile now I guess…"

"Oh..."

More awkward silence, maybe Aang was wrong, Zuko wasn't in a talkative mood. Then again, when was he ever? They were enemies, not like they sat around drinking tea talking about the weather all the time.

Aang couldn't really take this silence; he feared he may end up passing out again without even knowing it. "So…What are we going to do?" His voice was starting to come out less shaky and hoarse now.

"I don't know…"

"Well…" Aang tried to think, "Has anyone…anyone showed up and told us anything since we've been here?"

"No."

"So we've just been in here for who knows how long for no apparent reason?"

"Guess so."

"…You don't really wanna talk to me huh?"

"Not really, but I have nothing better to do…"

Aha! So Aang was right, he wasn't concerned, just bored. He stuck out his lower lip, eyebrows draw together in thought, "Hmm…well…" Well, he had nothing. But then again, Zuko wasn't really helping much either. He stood up slowly, wobbling a bit and head pounding in warning.

"You shouldn't stand…"

"Why not?" Aang leaned against the wall behind him, shutting his eyes, his ears had started ringing but his head was starting to slow down in its hammering.

"Because your sick and you're just going to make yourself sicker."

"Well why do you care?" Aang snapped, opening his eyes to glare at Zuko, who was still sitting on the floor.

The fire-bender opened his eyes, meeting yellow orbs to brown, making Aang regret snapping at the older teen. He really started regretting it when Zuko uncrossed his arms, stood up, and walked over to him. Aang pressed himself closer to the wall and attempted to back away, when a hand met near his head and Zuko loomed over him, yellow eyes glowing in the little light that still burned from the center of the room.

"Listen Avatar-"

"Aang."

"What?"

"Stop calling me Avatar, it gets annoying. Call me by my name." Although he knew he was just getting himself into deeper shit, he couldn't help it. It WAS getting annoying after all.

"Fine," He growled out "Aang, for your information I don't give a damn what happens to you, but if we're going to be stuck in this hellhole together, I'd rather have someone, no matter how much I hate them, then nobody to help me think of a way out of here. You're sick, and if you're not careful, you WILL die. I think you and I both know you're not ready for that…"

Well ok, he had a point. Aang wasn't too fond of the whole death thing. "So then what should we do?" Aang wondered just how many times he'd ask that since they'd been here.

Zuko moved closer to him, pinning him to the wall with nowhere to go to. Aang avoided looking into those cold eyes that sometimes haunted his dreams; he looked to the side, although he still felt the cold glare stinging his face.

"I-"

Thud! Cleeeeek, bang!

Both boys looked to the small window in the door, Zuko recognized the sound as the huge door at the end of the hallway opening, and as the last of the embers of their small fire faded away, dim green light poured into the hallway and through the barred door.

They froze, holding their breath as they hear footsteps coming closer and closer to them, by the sounds of it, there was more then one this time, the sound of heavy boots echoed through the hall until it stopped. There was a click sound, another bang, very very close to them.

Then, they saw the cell door open, the dim green light pouring into the barren room. Three figures silhouetted by the light stood in the doorway while Aang and Zuko started wide-eyed at them.

"You are to come with us; our leader has some questions he'd like to ask you." The middle man said in a deep cold voice, dark eyes from under his hat, piercing and hard as the voice that came with it.

That's when the two boys realized, things just got a lot worse…

**Ooooooooooh this turned from being a filler to an actually chappy huh? In case you didn't notice, I added a microscopic tiny itty bitty bit of fluff and randomness in there. Some of the parts I started getting bored, but I resisted adding the word "eye boogers" in there. SO BE PROUD OF ME! :D  
But yes, I had to add a few fluffy and random funny parts in there, too much serious turns me into the blah-nasty-horrible-monster-ghoul, and it's no fun if it's just completely boring and serious ne?  
So that's it for Chapter 3, I'm sorry if some of the information in here is wrong, I have a small brain that can only hold so much information. That's why I need you, the reviewers, help for the next chapter! D:  
I need to know how to spell "Di-lee" right, need better description of their uniforms, and what that one guy with the braid who tried to overthrow the king and captured Appa's name was. Cuz I'm stupid and forget these important things. –Gets rotten veggies and fire balls thrown at her- I'MMA SORREH! D:  
So if you lovely peeps could help me out with that, I can try to get the ball rollin' for the next chapter. Till then, hope you enjoyed this chapter, see ya next time:3  
Bunny out! Peace:O  
(Omg just realized this was about 6 pages long, pretty amazing huh:D)**


	4. Chapter 4 Why?

_**3/16/07**_

**Hoooooooooooooomahgosh peeps, I'm so sorry this is laaaaate! As you can see from the last date, I made Ch. 3 ages ago, but I haven't had a lot of time to post it and work on the next chappies, for this, I sorry:O**

**So, usually complains, school's a bitch and la-de-da. So I'mma gunna make this up to you guys I swear on my internal organs!!!**

**Also, part of the reason why Ch. 3 was so late, Cuz I couldn't actually find a beta to help me out and take time to look over it. After complaining about it to Joker (most amazing gal everrrrr! My wee ickle heart goes out to her, LOVE YA JOKIE!) Agreed to be my beta fish and got the fixed copy back to me real fast. But again, I never seem to be able to get on a lot, therefore I didn't even get to LOOK at the fixed copy till, well, today. So yeah.**

**Btw, I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! I got soooo many reviews asking me to hurry up and put up some new chappies, I really appreciate them you guys, really you're all amazing! hugs and candy kisses for all! Reviews really help my writing, they get me all excited and want to actually write, please if ya can, send reviews and PMs, I love and read every single message I get:D**

**Anyways, enough with my rantingness, on with Ch. 4! I'll try to add a bit o' fluff in here for ya'll ;P**

_-Ch. 4 Why?-_

Shit shit shit shiiiit!

This was not good, not good one bit. Fuuuuuck! Why did he have to deal with this? How was this problem? Ah damn, he's coughing up blood. This is NOT good…

Zuko was running, sweat dripping down his face and heart racing in his chest. He had no idea where he was going, the hallways he turned into were filled with a dim green light that gave him a headache and he kept running into dead ends. Where the fuck was the exit?!

Aang was wheezing, sweat and blood and bruises and scars all over his face and bare arms. The Di Li had pretty much beaten the shit outta him and he felt as if he would black out at anytime. But he couldn't, not now, he had to stay awake, at least until it was safe. So he clung to the back of Zuko's dirty shirt and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping, praying that they'd get outta this alive.

Zuko stopped, but only for a second. Looking left and right, panting, heart beat in his ears. He had no idea which way turn, where was the FUCKING exit?! He heard the heavy footsteps of the guards coming behind him, he decided to duck into the left hallway and kept running. YES! He could see a staircase rising up into a big door just ahead! They were going to make it! He made sure the Avatar was firmly in place before he ran as fast and hard as he could. Just a little farther…

Aang coughed, the copper taste of blood in his mouth was horrible, his head pounded and stomach twisted in such a painful way he wanted to scream but couldn't since his throat was burning. Many thoughts passed though his mind at lighting speed, he was in a full-blown panic, and tears were rushing out of his eyes. But the main thought, the one thought he could concentrate on long enough…

"_I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die…"_

The thought repeated itself over and over and over again in his mind, like a horrid chant made by monsters, faster and faster it went, the voice screeching higher and higher in his head until it was like a deafening ring in his ears. He though his eardrums would bleed by the sound! He tried to open his eyes, but it made everything hurt all the more. Then he felt Zuko running upwards. _"Stairs,"_ he thought, a surge of relief swelling in his burning chest _"Are we going to make it? Oh god please PLEASE let us make it, I can't die, no, I really don't wanna die, please please PLEASE!"_

The door was open a tiny crack, a sliver of bright light escaping from it; this in itself was all the more welcoming to Zuko. He rammed his entire body full speed into the door; it swung open by the force. He kept on running, running full speed, blinded by the bright midday light. Once his eyes started to focus, he could see he was running on a sandy beach into a dense forest. He kept running, running right into the forest and running, running on and on. His chest burned, his throat was dry and burning, his legs felt like they were about to fall off. Still he kept on, until the sound of the heavy boots behind him had faded into the sound of his own feet crunching underneath the forest floor.

Finally he stopped, falling to his knees and letting go of Aang. He stayed there on his hands and knees, the sweat dripping from his body onto the dense forest floor, panting, the only sounds he could hear was the beating of his heart and the panting of his breath. The only thing he could see was the dark green ground beneath him, tiny drops of salty water falling and fading into the already dark ground. He stayed like that for what felt like forever, until finally, he was able to gain some control over his breathing.

He was shaking badly. He let his overheated body drop to the ground, his panting slowed but he felt like a fish, gulping for air and water. His legs burned, but his heartbeat was starting to slow. He turned his head to the right and saw that the Avatar had passed out beside him. His face, despite the cuts, blood, and dirt, looked peaceful. Zuko was worried, he was barely breathing. He just laid there. Zuko reached out a shaking hot hand and put on the Air bender's bare beaten chest. The heartbeat had slowed significantly, but at least he was still alive.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours but in reality it was mere minutes. Eventually the burning in Zuko's chest and legs had faded into just a stiff soreness. His breathing, despite how dehydrated he was, steadied to a somewhat normal pace. His heart beat was still a bit fast, but somewhat normal.

After a bit more time lying there, just starting off into nothing he grudgingly raised to his hands and knees. He sat down and held himself up with his arms, taking a look at his surroundings. The forest was cool and dark, but beautiful compared to the dank dirty cell he had been living in. Sunlight came in though the leaves of the top of the trees, and the dark moss growing on its ground was soft and moist. The air was clean and fresh, a nice breezing coming by and ruffling his clothes and hair, cooling his tired, sore body. He took in a deep breath and sighed, shutting his eyes. He felt he would just fall asleep right there, under the tall trees and atop the soft ground. But no, he knew he couldn't, not just yet. Though the hardest part was over with, they still needed to find a safe place to hide.

He opened his eyes and looked back to Aang's body. He got a horrid feeling in his gut, for the younger boy had gotten the worst of the beatings, not to mention he was very sick to begin with. He got up and carefully picked him up and put him on his back, letting Aang head rest on his shoulder. He lifted Aang up and held him around the back of the legs as he did before. He started to walk, eyes searching for a good place to hide away from evil eyes.

As he walked, the images and conversation only moments before their escape from that wretched place played over and over in his head; anger rose in his chest and made his brow furrow in frustration…

They had been forced into odd rock handcuffs behind their backs and pushed down the dim green hallway. Zuko listened as he sometimes heard bangs and screams of terror and anger coming from other rooms. _"So, there are others here after all…"_ he thought as they were roughly shoved through a door much like the end of the hallway they were previously kept in. This door lead into a room with chairs and a desk, a fireplace burning green fire behind it. The guards shoved the boys into uncomfortable chairs and released the cuffs, instead tying the boys' hands with ropes behind the chairs. Zuko growled and grind his teeth, looking from the guards to the room and everywhere and anywhere else he could shoot a glare at. His eyes then landed on the Avatar, who sat quietly beside him. He stared at the boy, who was looking down with a sad expression, biting his lips and, as far as Zuko could see, shaking with a mix of anger and fear.

The door behind them opened again, Zuko look back as a tall thin man with wired rimmed glasses walked into the room. The man was wearing very fine clothes, silk dark greens and light greens designed into a long robe. His hair was not in a braid like most of the higher class men wore them. Actually, this man was completely bald. He had 2 ear-piercings in each ear, and a very light, pale scar cross diagonally from his cheek to a little past the eyebrow. He walked with such grace, with an air of class about him. He swept past the boys, completely oblivious to the glares Zuko shot at him. Then the fire bender boy's eyes widened, for the man had a tattoo on the back of his head. It was a tattoo of a black dragon, with fiery red eyes that pierced Zuko's heart with a slight pain, sharp claws detailed to look as if the dragon would come alive and rip his guts out. Then Zuko noticed a small girl shuffling behind the man. She too, wore a similar robe only without sleeves and long slits in the sides. She wore white pants that end above her ankles and wire rimmed glasses. Short black hair with side swept bangs covered her right eye. She too, had piercings in her ears but only one in each. Zuko also noticed she carried a large writing pad, an ink bottle, pen, and a few scrolls in her arms. She looked over to him, noticed he was looking at her, blushed bright red, and quietly shuffled to behind the tall man's chair as he sat down. She places the scrolls in from of him, set her ink bottle down, and looked to be getting ready to write things down; things Zuko had no idea about.

The man leaned over in his chair, resting his elbows on the table and folding his hands together, rested his chin on them. Zuko noted the man was staring at him, eyes slowing studying up and down his body, looking carefully at every little detail. Zuko glared at the man again, but like before, he took no notice of it as he looked to Aang and started to study him. The girl just stood quietly beside his chair, pen in hand ready to write on the large pad she held in her arm. The man looked back at Zuko "So, you are the famous Prince Zuko, I have heard tale of you. The banished Prince with a scar over his left eye." The man's voice was very deep and rich, but showed no real emotion behind it, he smirked slightly from the corner of his mouth when Zuko growled and bared his teeth. He then looked again over to Aang, "And you, you're the Avatar. I have heard even more of you." Aang looked up, eyes wide but kept silent. Once the man turned away from him again, he went back to staring blankly down at the floor.

"Oh, do forgive me, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Commander Ritsuka Soki." He smiled a bit too warmly, sitting back in his chair and casting a hand toward the girl beside him but not looking at her. "And this is my assistant, Miss Yuiko Kongi." The small girl bowed, short hair falling into her face, "She will be taking notes of our talk together."

"What do you want with us?!" Zuko barked, forget formalities, this guy had locked him up for days in a dark dirty cell with nothing! Commander Ritsuka sat up some, a bit taken aback with Zuko's anger. But in seconds that same cocky smirk came up and he placed his chin back onto his folded hands. "My my, being the angry one today are we? You know, you shouldn't really try to be rude to the man who determines whether you live or die." Despite the stone set face Zuko used, his gut twisted up in knots, he tried to hid this sudden feeling of fear from the man, but he seemed to see right though Zuko as he smirked again and leaned back in his chair.

"Now then, shall we begin?" he looked over to his assistant beside him and nodded, who in turn dip her pen into the ink and being writing furiously down on her pad. He looked again at both Zuko and Aang before continuing. "Now, I understand that you both have taken residence in Bah Sing Sei, Why is this so?" "We don't have to answer to you!" Zuko growled. Ritsuka frowned, dark eye brows furrowing, he look past Zuko and nodded. Zuko turned to look at who he was nodding toward, but a rock fist met with the side of his face and knocked him hard in the jaw. He gasped in surprise as the pain shot up in his face; he coughed a bit before spitting out a bit of blood and a tooth. Damn that guy had a punch.

"Now, I'll ask you again," Ritsuka said, frowning "Why have you two taken residence here in our humble city?"

Ok, so maybe it was probably best to answer this guy, "My uncle and I are being hunted down by the Fire Nation, so we're hiding out here where they can't get to us." Zuko regretted this statement as soon as it left his lips; he hadn't wanted to get his uncle involved in this. A pang of guilt clutched his stomach as he looked away from those dark eyes that kept looking into his own.

"I see." Replied the Commander, again that cocky smirk playing across thin lips. The small girl beside him looked toward him, waiting, pen hovering slightly above the paper. Commander Ritsuka then looked over to Aang, "And you, young Avatar?"

Aang's eyes widened from their previous blankness, he stayed silent, and continued staring at the ground. When no respond came, the Commander frowned, and Zuko was surprised when the guard behind the younger boy then came up and, like Zuko, punched him in the face. A gasp escaped Aang's lips, followed by a series of coughs, a couple drops of blood falling from his mouth and onto the stone floor.

For some unknown reason, another pang of guilt flipped inside Zuko…

But…why? Why was he feeling…sympathetic with the Avatar? His enemy? He should be ENJOYING this, not…feeling bad for him…

Aang's coughing lessened, and was replaced with sharp intakes of breath. "I'll ask you again, _Avatar_" Commander Ritsuka said again, speaking his name like a bite from a venomous snake, "Why are you here?"

Silence again, until Aang's small, choked voice weakly replied,

"I'm looking…for my bison…"

"How do you know your bison is in our city?"

"Because…because someone said…that he was taken here…"

"Who said this to you?"

"…a man…"

Again, a stone fist met Aang's face, this time harder as his chair was tipped over by the impact. The guard picked him up by his collar, setting the chair back in place.

"Who told you your bison was in Bah Sing Sei _Avatar_?!" Zuko's stomach flipped and twisted Ritsuka's voice. It was cold, hard and sharp as a sword, it was a voice that demanded respect and a voice containing years of superiority.

A voice, much like his father's…

Aang said nothing, head bent down to the floor again. The Commander gave a nod to the guard, who returned the nod curtly and walked in front of the small Air bender. The guard was very tall; he loomed over Aang like a giant. But as soon as Aang looked up to see who cast such a long shadow, a fist met the side of his face, and the sickening sound of a crunch could be heard. The sound made Zuko winch, he looked again as Aang gasped and coughed and wheezed horridly, choking on the taste of blood in his mouth.

The Commander, rose to his feet, compared to his petite assistant he, like the guard, was a giant. He walked out from behind the desk, past Zuko and toward Aang. The guard stepped back from the Air bender, walking back in place beside the other guards behind the two boys. In one swift move Commander Ritsuka grabbed Aang by the collar and pulled him up so he and his chair were hovering mere inches above the ground,

"_Listen, you fucking BRAT!" _Ritsuka hissed between clenched teeth. _"I don't give a fuck if you're the Avatar or not, I have a chance to rule this city, and I'm not going to let you take that away from me!"_ He dropped Aang, chair clanking to the ground and stood straight. He did not move, blazing eyes glaring down at the young Air Bender. Zuko watched still, millions of questions zipping through his head. Who IS this guy? What does he mean take control of the city? What does he WANT from us?

"Untie him; take him to the interrogation room." Ritsuka turned his back to Aang, robe flaring out in his swift movements. "Lash him until he either talks, or dies. I will stay here and continue questioning the other one." With those orders spoken, the guards undid the ropes that held Aang, handcuffed him again, and dragged him out of the room, all the while, he did nothing but stared at the ground under him with a fearful silence.

The doors shut with a loud bang, and Zuko turned back toward the three remaining people in the room. Commander Ritsuka had taken residence back behind his desk, the girl again writing furiously on the large pad she carried.

"Now then Prince Zuko," the Commander started with that cold hard voice. "Tell me, in what area of the city have you and your Uncle have taken residence?" Zuko looked to the floor, wondering what he should say. What did it matter what he said to him, in the end he would still be killed, right? But Uncle…

"No comment" Zuko replied.

This of course, made the Commander very angry, but that expression changed into a smirk again as the one remaining guard came from behind and punched Zuko right in the gut. The Fire bender's eyes widened and he coughed up blood yet again. He kneeled over, gasping for air.

"Now that wasn't a very well played move you just pulled my little Prince." The Commander leaned over and rested his chin on his hands yet again. "Now if you don't cooperate, I may just have to have you killed as well." He looked to the girl beside him, who looked back with no real emotion. He smiled in a cocky way and turned his eyes to Zuko. "Yuiko may look small and fragile, but I assure you she is very well trained AND armed." To this the girl moved her robe back a bit on her right leg to reveal a series of daggers strapped to her thigh. She moved the robe back without even batting an eyelash, and shifted the writing pad in her arms.

Zuko glared at her, then to Ritsuka. He sat straight in his chair, attempting to show that the punches thrown at him didn't faze him. He had to make a move; fast, just had to wait for the opportune moment…

"Now, Zuko, tell me, where have you taken residence in Bah Sing Sei?"

Zuko smirked, looking the man right in the eyes…

"No comment."

And then he made him move, he burned though the tight ropes around his wrists, twirling around fast and kicking the guard behind him right in the face. The move was unexpected and forced the guard to trip backward into the pillar behind him, making contact hard and sliding to the ground. Zuko turned around quick enough to see that the girl had dropped her pen and pad and was now throwing one of her daggers right at him. He was able to duck as it whizzed past his ear. He shot a fire blast at her; she ducked low and came up right in front of him, aiming to stab him in the heart. Zuko grabbed her arm and used it to twist her around; he grabbed the dagger from her captured hand and held it to her neck. Fire burned in the Prince's eyes as he glared toward the man who hadn't even moved from his chair.

"I'll kill her, don't think I won't." Zuko hissed, pressing the cold blade to the girl's neck who gasped in reply, her body shook against Zuko's chest as he held his grip on her arm. He started taking steps backward, toward the door, keeping his eyes on the Commander the entire time.

He then pushed the girl forward, who stumbled and fell to the ground, coughing and touching her neck. He had unintentionally nicked the side of her neck and it was bleeding slightly. He turned and ran to the door, throwing it open and racing out.

He ran down the halls, just waiting to hear those footsteps behind him. He stopped, breathing hard, listening around him. He shut his eyes and concentrated…

_Wha-cank!...Wha-cank!...Wha-cank!..._

There, to his left, he could hear the sounds of a whip being brought down a ways away. He sprinted toward that direction, the sound growing louder and louder in his ears.

1…2…3…HERE!

He punched the door, which swung open with a creak and slammed into the wall behind it. 4 guards all looked to Zuko, 1 by the door, 1 with a long black whip, and the 2 others on either side of the one with the whip.

Zuko jumped into the room, throwing kicks and punches and fire blasts every which way. The guard with the whip tried to slash him, but dropped it when a fire blast hit him right in the chest and sent him crashing into the opposite wall. Zuko then looked to see the Avatar on his knees, facing the wall. He had been stripped of his shirt, his bare back covered in bleeding cuts that criss-crossed each other. He turned to see what all the commotion was, his eyes widening at just who it was saving him.

Zuko quickly went over, bending down and started to untie the air bender, who just watched as his hands were freed. Once released, he gripped his wrists and rubbed them, looking up as Zuko rose.

"But…why?"

The question needed no real validation, as Zuko held his hand out for Aang to grab. "Because Avatar," Zuko replied "If anyone is to kill you, it's going to be me."

Aang look on with an expression of confusion, he looked to the hand being offered to him, then to those golden eyes that looked down at him, not sure of what exactly he could do.

Footsteps, a lot of them, could be heard coming down the hallway. Zuko growled, damnit, they were already on there way. "Come on! Let's go before they get here!"

"I…I can't move…" Aang looked to the ground, "Just go and leave me here…"

Zuko growled and grabbed Aang by the wrist, pulling him up and throwing the boy hazardously onto his back. "I told you, if anyone's going to be killing you it WILL be me, we're getting out of here together."

And with that, Zuko ran.

There, just ahead, a small cave behind a large willow tree, covered in moss. This would be their hideout until they were able to get back to the city. Zuko walked to the cave and stepped inside. The small area went back into a dark abyss, moss and vines grew from the walls, ceiling, and ground. Zuko walked farther back, until he faced the back of the cave. Water dripped from the ceiling, into small puddles on the floor. Zuko bent and set the sleeping Aang down. He knelt to one of the small pools and took the water in his hands. He then splashed the freezing liquid onto his face, the cold feeling wonderful on his burning skin. He then took another handful and drank until his thirst was satisfied. Again, he looked to Aang, who laid on his stomach unmoving, the deep red of the cuts on his back visible even in the damp cave.

Zuko moved over and sat next to Aang. He pulled his knees up to his chest and crossed his arms over them. Resting his chin onto his knees, he sighed, questions he had no answers to rising yet again in his head.

"_Why?"_ he asked himself, _"Why did I bother going back for him? Why did I save him? Why didn't I just let them kill him? Why…_

_Why did I care?"_

Over and over Zuko played the whole rescue in his head, and over and over he asked these questions. And yet, over and over he still could not think of a single reason why he did what he did.

This whole thing, it was starting to bother Zuko. It was bothering him a lot actually.

Why…that was the question, it was the question to everything in Zuko's life…

Why did he care about the Avatar?

**Haaaaaaa I gotta say, that was my best chapter yet! So we're really getting along in the storyline huh? Sorry this didn't really have any fluff in it, I is workin' on et! D:**

**Btw, if you can figure out what manga I got some of the things in here from, I'll give you a special prize. :3**

**If you're wondering "I don't remember those two people ever being in the show! D: " Well, it's because I made them up:D Yeah, I created a couple OCs for this chapter, and they may show up in chapters to come. Their 1st names are from the manga I've been reading (hinthintnudgenudge) but otherwise they are both my lil' villains. :D**

**So Ch. 5 coming along soon I promise! Really, why are you looking at me that way? I'm sorry!!!!! D:**

_**Plz dun't hurt mah**_

_**Bunny**_


	5. Chapter 5 Recovery

_**3/25/07**_

**Oh my goodness! I'm writing this at like, 12:08 A.M….So yeah, if this chappy totally utterly sucks, I'm really sorry. I promised less time between chapters and by golly (did I just say that? Wow what am I? Beaver Cleaver? O.o) I'mma do it!**

**Btw, I've been listening to Taylor Swift for the past 2 weeks (Thanks to Samantha for burning the CD for me!) So I may end up twisting a bit of that into here. So yeah…**

**Anyways! April 1st-8th I will defiantly not be online at all (what's new am I right? XD) because of Spring Break. I'll be in D.C. What fun no? Sooooo exciting…**

**Yes Panda, that was sarcasm...get over it…Shutyerface…**

**ANYWAYS! Yeah I know I say that a lot shut up. So this I can already tell will be a crappy chapter, indeedy-dooooo…deeeee…dodedodedodedooooo ok I'm wasting time, ON WITH THE FIC::chaaaaaaarge::**

_-Ch. 5 Recovery-_

Five days. They had been hiding away in that little, damp, dark cave for over five days. No one had come by the general area, so on the third day Zuko had gone out for food. He came back a few hours later with some fruit, and a few small dead animals. Aang had finally woken up that night, just as Zuko was setting a couple squirrel mice on a stick to be placed by the tiny fire he had created. He felt something cold on his back and a few spots on his face, but when he reached behind to feel, Zuko's voice stopped him.

"Don't mess with them or they'll come off. They're herbs and leaves I was able to find to help. Uncle…showed me which ones were best, so you should be fine." Zuko reached behind and pulled out a yellow-green apple and tossed it to Aang, who caught it and just stared. "In case you forgot how to, you're suppose to eat it. You won't get any better without some food in you."

Aang looked up at Zuko, utter confusion written all over his face. "But…" He looked down at the apple again, he WAS very hungry, but he had notice that all the rest and plants had helped. He's head wasn't pounding as it normally did when he woke up, his fever was down, and his stomach wasn't twisting up a lot. He looked back up to Zuko, who had grabbed himself an apple as well and was taking a bite from it. "Why would you help me? I thought you _hated_ me?" had Zuko's brain gotten all messed up being in that cell? Was that why…he was being nice to Aang?

But Zuko just looked at him, then toward the fire, avoiding those big brown eyes. "The Fire Nation wants nothing to do with me, Avatar or no Avatar. So what's the point anymore?"

With that, he got up, and walked out the cave into the cool night air. Nothing else was said; Aang looked back to the apple, and took a bite. That Zuko…he was a weird guy sometimes…

Two more days of this went by, Aang would sleep a lot and when he would wake up he'd find he'd been supplied with fresh herbs on his wounds, and food close to him. Sometimes Zuko was there when he would rise, but he wouldn't ever give Aang even a glance as the Air Bender would reach over, take some food, and lay back down. Other times Zuko was nowhere to be found, and Aang would lie on his side facing the entrance of the cave, wondering where he could be before falling back to sleep.

By the fifth day Aang was feeling a whole lot better. His cuts and bruises on his face were healed, and on his back all was left were marks that faded from light red to pinkish to white. Wither he wanted it or not, those marks would remain permanent scars on the boy's back. This time he'd woken up just as the sun was setting, the yellow to orange and purple hues fading in the distance, but the remaining light shining in their little hideaway. Aang rose to his feet, wobbling a bit from lack of use of his legs, and walked carefully over to the entrance using the nearby wall as support. He stood there in the mouth of the little cave, starting out into the sky, examining every detail of the fading colors with a mixture of relief and peace. It had been so long since he had seen the light of day, and although the sun was done for today, it made his chest swell knowing he was well and alive and able to enjoy such a beautiful sight.

He looked down from the sunset, and was surprised to see that Zuko was sitting on a nearby rock, watching the fading sun just as Aang was doing moments before. Aang contemplated on wither or not he should go down there and say something to the older teen, or just go back inside. A few seconds past, and Aang took a deep breathe and let it out as a long sigh. Well, might as well give it a shot…

Carefully, using rocks, vines, and tree branches for support, Aang made his way down until he was just steps behind Zuko. With caution, as if one wrong move he'd have his head bitten off, he walked over to the fire bender. Zuko didn't move at all, and Aang didn't really sense any aggression, so he carefully, slowly, came beside Zuko and sat down on the rock. Again, he looked up at the sky, the light and dark blues of night starting to overlap and take over the yellows and golds of day. Aang looked over to Zuko, and noticed the older's face. He was totally calm, the usual cold hard look replaced with one of deep thought. Aang couldn't help but study every detail of Zuko's face, from the now dark short hair he was sporting, fine pale skin, set jaw line and…

Those eyes, that scar…There were so many questions he wanted to ask about that scar, but no, now was not the time.

Aang was surprised to see Zuko's eyes move to look to him, with that sort of 'Well, what is it?' look. Aang felt the blood rush up in his cheeks and he looked away. Just how long had Zuko been looking at him like that? He rubbed the back of his bald head, the slight hint of stubble bumped on his fingers.

"So ummm…?" Great, he'd come over here to say something, but had absolutely no idea what he was going to say! Stupid, stupid ,stupid! Aang mentally smacked himself in the face for that one.

There was shuffling beside him, "In a couple more days, we'll leave to find our way back to Bah Sing Sei. Your friends are probably worried where their little Avatar's been. I wouldn't be surprised if the water tribe girl had a heart attack over your disappearing act."

Aang would have usually taken offense at the stab to Katara, but for some reason, all he really felt was a bit of confusion. Was that it? Was that all he was gunna say about it? And before Aang knew it, he'd blunted out the question that'd been on his mind since he'd awake that night in the cave…

"WHY DID YOU SAVE ME?!"

He quickly covered his mouth, had he really just done that? Shiiiit, not smart Aang, remember, dealing with angry fire guy who hates your guts?

At least, so he thought…Did Zuko really still hate him? Aang wondered…

"Honestly, I don't know…"

Aang looked to see Zuko was staring at him, which only made Aang feel all the more embarrassed. But then Zuko looked away, and continued…

"I don't really know why I bothered. I could have just left you there to die, hell; I could have killed you already and headed back to Bah Sing Sei myself. But…something…stopped me…This feeling…I dunno…" He looked down at the ground. Aang just stared at him, kinda dumb folded. Zuko shuffled a bit, before getting up and walking back to the cave. Aang quickly turned around, staring after him before scrambling up himself.

"WAIT!"

Zuko stopped, turned his head slightly to face the young Air bender. Aang balled his fists by his sides, the blush deep across his cheeks and nose. He looked down, shaking. Why was he so nervous? Why was he acting this way?!

"I…"

Why?...

"I wanted…to…"

Why did he?

"Tell you…"

Feel…

"I…"

This…

"wanted…"

Way?

"To…to…"

This feeling…

"To thank you…"

It was the same way…

"Thank you…for…"

The same way he had once felt…

"For saving me…and…"

About Katara?

"And…I…"

He shouldn't be feeling this way!

"I wanted to…"

And yet…

"Say…that…"

It felt…

"I…I think…"

This was wrong, it was all wrong. He shouldn't be feeling this way, he should only feel this way about one person. And yet…

"I think I…"

And yet this felt so right, it felt like the one person he felt this for was…

"I THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!"

Zuko.

Silence. Dead on awkward silence from both boys. Not one of them moved, neither even dared to breathe. The silence was broke as a murder of crows cawed loudly and flapped away out of some trees a way aways, flying into the dark night sky. The last glimpse of sun dropped, and they were left in the cool darkness of the night.

Aang didn't dare look up to see the look on Zuko's face. He was shaking so bad he though his legs would give way and he'd fall down off the rock. What the fuck had he just said? Was it even true was he said? Why? WHY THE FUCK HAD HE'D GONE AND SAID THAT? HE DIDN'T MEAN A WORD OF IT! NO WAY! IT COULDN'T BE! Yet…

It was true. He'd gone over in his head the time he'd spent with Zuko, and he'd found that everything about the Prince fascinated him. He hadn't though at all about Katara or Sokka or Troph at all these past weeks of his capture. He hadn't worried about Appa in so long. All of his thoughts were directed to one person and one person only.

And that person stood mere feet away from him, frozen on the spot. And in those silent moments Aang just prayed this was all just a dream and that he hadn't really done what he'd just did. He couldn't have…it couldn't have…

And then BAM! Aang yelped and sat straight up. His body was covered in cold sweat, and he gasped for air. After a few seconds, he realized he was still in the cave and it was raining outside.

So…it…it had been all a dream? It really was a dream? Aang let out a long deep breathe. His hands shook as he clenched his fists, sitting there staring at the floor. He was so relieved that it really had been a dream, everything had been so real. But…he also felt…disappointed? Why was he so disappointed?

"So, you're awake now…"

Aang's eyes widened and he jerked his head to the side to see Zuko sitting up against the wall, legs pulled up with arms casually laying over top his knees. The last of the fire was smoldering a little ways beside him, and he was just staring up at the ceiling, not at all phased by Aang's outburst.

Ok Aang, act cool. It's not like he can dive into your head and see what you just dreamt. "Uuuuh…yeah...What'd I miss?"

"Not much, you were kinda squirming in your sleep, but I didn't wanna wake you up."

"Oh…ok…"

The usual awkward silence came up as both boys sat in the orange glow of the smoldering fire. A while pasted, and Aang looked up to Zuko. "Hey, listen…I wanted to ask you…"

"Why I save you instead of just letting you die? I've told you this before…"

"Yeah I know but," Aang racked his brain for the right thing to say; finally he just figured he might as well just be blunt. "Why did you stay? Why did you even bothering caring for me at all? I thought…you hated me?"

His question was met with silence, and for a long time neither said a thing, the only sounds being the occasional close thunder and of the rain falling just outside.

Aang mind had wandered off a bit, but he was instantly brought back to reality when a smooth pale hand lightly touched his chin. He looked up to the owner of the hand, who was staring at him intently, no emotion showing in that set face. Heat rose in Aang face, ok, this was starting to get reeeeeeeally uncomfortable. But no matter what Aang did Zuko showed nothing that indicated his next move or just _why_ he was staring at the Air bender like he was.

And as sudden as Zuko had Aang by the chin, said Prince had closed the gap between the two and pressed his lips against Aang's. Said Air Bender's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, millions of zillions of questions racing through his head before, like the fire, smoldered into a haze, and he closed his eyes, and a tiny pleasure moan escaped the younger's throat. Zuko just pressed his mouth harder on Aang's, sliding his tongue across his mouth before Aang allowed him entrance and dove in to the Air bender's mouth. There was the sound of shuffling clothes and bodies, till Zuko had pinned Aang to the wall, hands on those slim hips and Aang's arms wrapped around his neck. Hands moved slightly from hips to sides and necks to backs and backs closer to walls until it was as if both boys were stuck in a lip lock as the older practically straddled that small waist.

And as sudden as the kiss started, it ended all too soon for Aang. Both boys let go and gasped for breath, staring at each other flushed and slightly sweaty. Their breathing and the calm pattering of rain the only sounds left, the embers of the fire now all faded leaving the two in darkness. They both just stared each other, breathing regulated. The same question in both Aang and Zuko's minds...

What the _heck_ just happened?

**BUHAHAHAHAHA!!! AHAHAHA-HACK-cough-Ack::coughing fit::**

**Ahem, I'm ok O.o.**

**Anyways, yeah I'mma seriously not happy with this chapter, but like they said, you're your own worst critic. I dunno I just…kinda think this started a bit too fast. At 1st I was like "Ok, they are defiantly gunna kiss in this chapter, they HAVE TOO!" but then I didn't know how to do that, so I gave up and was all "Screw it, Aang's gunna be blunt." But then I ended up twisting that part around, so that was fun. Hehe, the dream idea came really as an accident, but I'm glad I used it.**

**So, LOOK MY DEAR READERS! ACTUAL FLUFF IN THIS CHAPPY! YAAAAAAY::spaz:: I'm so proud, although I kinda hated this chapter at least we're finally getting the fluffy chapters going. Of course, there will still be looooooads of drama, because well, I'm amazing that way. Comma comma comma. Man I use commas a lot, lots lots lots, I need to stop that, really, stop it, I'm serious, AHHH!**

**Maybe I have some sort of disease that makes me use commas a lot…::shrug:: oh well.**

**So as usual, I live and breathe for reviews, so like…review me…please…Be much appreciated.**

**Also I'd like to thank some of my readers for giving me some information on things because, well, their amazing. Really, I love all my reviews and readers, you guys rock my socks!**

**So yeah, hopefully gunna get chapter…wow we're gunna be on 6 next huh? Big steps, big big biiiiiiiig steps huh? Till then moi hunies!**

_**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**_

_**-Bunny out!**_

_**4/9/07**_

**FINALLY I GOT THESE UP PLZ DUN'T HATE MAH OK I WUB ROO BAI BAI!**

**Special thanks to Joker, my Beta Fish, for staying up real late fixing this as best she could while half asleep. I LOVE YA GIRLIE:3**


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